O'Donnell Lectures

The O’Donnell Lectures in Celtic Studies were established in 1954 in honour of Charles James O’Donnell. Under the terms of his bequest the lectures can examine British or Celtic elements in the English language or in the existing population of England.

The first O’Donnell Lecturer was J.R.R. Tolkien, who was appointed in 1954 and spoke on ‘English and Welsh.’

Copies of the transcripts of the lectures are held by the Bodleian Library.